The USC football team went through a transformation last season under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
Now in Lynn’s second season with the program, the Trojans aren’t satisfied with the strides already taken.
“The goal and the talk in our building has been that we were statistically the most-improved defense in the country last season,” head coach Lincoln Riley said on Trojans Live. “And that’s great. But this isn’t last year anymore. Now it’s like, take that step to be one of the best defenses in the country, period.”
Lynn has expanded his philosophy of obnoxious communication to include shocking effort in attack to help the Trojans reach that standard.
“He demanded it every day,” cornerback DJ Harvey said. “Every day you come out here, and he demands excellence, he demands greatness out of everybody, and we need somebody like that, a leader that we can look up to.”
It’s difficult to find any major holes in USC’s defense. Transfers have bulked up the defensive line and linebackers coach Rob Ryan has taken a largely inexperienced group and created an imposing room of backers.
The secondary is saturated with talent, and the competition for playing time is bringing out the best in the Trojans.
“We all come to work, and we know the work that we put in,” cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson said. “I’m just excited for whatever anyone gets their chance for y’all to see, and then I’m sure they’ll answer all the questions with their play, because I just believe in everybody in the room.”
DEFENSIVE LINE
USC added size in the offseason to help it compete in the hard-nosed trenches of Big Ten Conference football and control the run game.
The Trojans allowed 141.2 rushing yards per game last season and could see that number shrink after the addition of linemen like 6-foot-5, 290-pound Jamal Jarrett and 6-foot-4, 330-pound Keeshawn Silver.
True freshman Jahkeem Stewart could see increasing time on the line once he’s fully healthy. Head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters Tuesday that Stewart will be a game-day decision Saturday due to an injury that is not expected to be long-term.
Sophomore Kam Fountain will contribute on the edge and add to the pass rush as one of USC’s most-improved players in fall training camp. He tallied 19 total tackles and two tackles for a loss as a freshman.
“He improved every single day, learned from his mistakes,” Lynn said. “And when you look at him right now compared to this past year – on and off the field – it’s like a completely different person.”
Braylan Shelby, a junior, provides a veteran presence at defensive end with 46 career tackles in 24 games.
INSIDE LINEBACKER
Rob Ryan brings NFL experience and a lot of enthusiasm as the position coach for the linebackers, and the group seems to have fed off it.
“Every day we come out here ready to go out there and play for one another,” linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson said. “Coach Ryan, he instills that in us and he lets us know every day what being a linebacker, what being a USC football player is about.”
Eric Gentry returns as the most experienced linebacker in the group, although he missed playing time last season due to injury. Sophomore Desman Stephens II’s offseason development and progress during fall camp make him a good choice to start alongside Gentry on Saturday.
Robinson, a Penn State transfer, as well as freshmen AJ Tuitele and Matai Tagoa’i are under-the-radar players who could make a surprise impact this season.
SECONDARY
Safety Kamari Ramsey has stepped into a bigger leadership role and will provide stability in the secondary. He has the support of redshirt senior and North Carolina State transfer Bishop Fitzgerald, who had 55 tackles, eight pass breakups and three interceptions with the Wolfpack last season.
Notre Dame transfer Kennedy Urlacher, son of former NFL linebacker Brian Urlacher, has the potential to be a standout at safety in his sophomore season.
The competition at cornerback has been a highlight of fall training camp, even after Prophet Brown’s injury kept him from completing camp.
The depth chart at that position is tough to predict. Harvey, Nicholson, Chasen Johnson and Braylon Conley could all see playing time. Nicholson has the most experience in Lynn’s system as a redshirt senior and finished the 2024 season with 27 total tackles and five pass breakups.
“We want to get guys reps,” Lynn told reporters. “We want to keep guys fresh, and we really want to find out what type of depth we have by the time we get into the Big Ten.”
SPECIALISTS
Riley told reporters Tuesday that kicker Caden Chittenden is dealing with an undisclosed injury that will keep him out of Saturday’s game.
Freshman Ryon Sayeri will handle kickoff, field goals and extra points.
“Ryon has been outstanding all camp,” Riley said. “He was going to factor in no matter what happened. He’s one of the most-improved players we’ve had on the entire team through camp.”
A starting punter has not been announced, but special team coordinator Ryan Dougherty said Valparaiso transfer Sam Johnson has stood out. Johnson ranked third in the FCS in punting average at 47.13 yards per punt with 24 punts of 50 yards or more.
Hank Pepper returns as the starting long snapper and is on the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List.
